INTRODUCTION TO ARCHERY

By Archery Australia

Proudly supported by the Australian Sports Commission

Copyright 2006 Archery Australia

First published January 2006

All rights received. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in an archival system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, and photocopying or otherwise
without the prior written permission of the Copyright owner.

ISBN 0-646-45698-9
Published by Archery Australia
P.O. Box 54,
Panania NSW 2213 Australia
 Preface
This manual builds on the success of the Archery Australia Coaching Manual first published in 1991,
and edited by Gordon Pawson. Quoting from Gordons preface of the 1991 manual:

The important work done by archery instructors in the development and promotion of archery in
Australia is worthy of the highest commendation.

The success of Archery Australia, each RGB and every club in Australia is dependent on the
establishment of teams of active, accredited instructors and coaches to encourage and service the
development of archers at every skill level.

Archers new to our sport and those in their early years of participation make up the main group
needing help and on-going attention. The importance of instructing at this level cannot be emphasised
enough.

Many archers start off on the wrong foot because they have had no-one to teach them the basics of
archery technique, correcting their errors, providing guidance to self-identify errors and providing them
with general help and advice. The most common problem is new archers who obtain equipment that is
unsuited to their physical requirements and ability.

As a consequence, many leave archery because they have been unable to achieve the satisfaction
that would have kept them in the sport.

Archers who are taught correct procedures from the beginning will progress quickly and will have less
trouble identifying and correcting faults that may creep into their shooting technique.

This manual has been primarily designed for use by instructors and sets out step-by-step methods of
teaching archery skills but it may also be a useful tool to archers as reference material.

Instructors and coaches working at all levels should not under-rate the importance of personal
example. The attitudes and personal conduct of an instructor sets the style for the students and
eventually, the club and the archery body as a whole.

An active instructor should keep abreast of new developments in technique and equipment and
progressively improve their teaching style and methods, personal attributes and actions which also
serve both archers and archery, dignity in manner and dress, support and co-operation with other
instructors, unbiased and positive assessment of archery products and encouragement for students
toward a life-long interest in archery.

The 1991 manual has served Archery Australia well, but a need was identified to update it in
accordance with current world best practice, and this was undertaken initially by the Archery Australia
Coaching and Standards Committee and has been completed by the Chief Executive Officer James
Larven.

James Park
Chairman
Archery Australia Coaching and Standards Committee, 2005
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Based on the Archery Australia Inc 1991 Coaching Manual editor by Gordon Pawson

Drawing provided by James Larven and Donna Gynell

Photographs provided by James Larven, and AIS Archery

Technical Data provided by James Larven, Ki Sik Lee, Matthew Lee, James Park

Technical Illustrations provided by James Larven and Tom Jorgensen

Reviewed by - Ki Sik Lee, Matthew Lee, James Park, Bruce Dillon, Murray Firth, Rod Miller, Ron
Alexander, Stuart Atkins, John Hans, Wynne Martin Hughes, John Waller and Ken Birch.

REFERENCE MATERIAL

Archery Australia Coaching Manual 1991

Archery Australia Orientation to Coaching
Coaching Articles by James Larven
Archery Anatomy by Ray Axford

RECOMMENDED READING

Mastering Archery Technique Analysis by James Park

Mastering Bow Tuning by James Park
Mastering Compound Bows by James Park
Archery Anatomy by Ray Axford
Archery Australia Inc National Coaching program
Archery Australia Inc Advanced Coaching by James Larven
Archery Australia Inc Come N Try Handbook

THE EDITOR

James Larven has been involved in Archery for 41 years having held various management positions
within ArcheryNSW and Archery Australia Inc.

He is the Archery Australia Inc Chief Executive Officer responsible for the day to day affairs of Archery
Australia Inc.

He has represented Australia at 18 World Championships as a competitor (recurve and compound),

Team Manager and Team Coach.

He obtained Level 2 Instructor status in 1982 and has been an Archery Australia Inc National Coach.

He was the Technical Operations Manager and later the Competition Manager, for the Sydney 2000
Olympic and Paralympic Games.

He has an extensive coaching background having coached a number of recurve and compound
archers to National and International representative status.
 INDEX
Preface
3

Acknowledgements 4

1. Introduction 7

1.1 Who is Archery Australia? 7

1.2 About this manual 7

1.3 What is Archery Come N Try 7

1.4 Come N Try 7

1.5 Advanced Come N Try 8

1.6 What is an Archery Instructor Course? 8

1.7 Accreditation 8

1.8 Course duration 9

2. Principles of teaching 10

2.1 Points on Teaching Skills 10

2.2 Learning a New Skill and Assessment of Performance 10

3. Psychology of Coaching 11

3.1 Learning and Motivation 11

3.2 Psychology of Learning 11

3.3 Phases of Learning 11

3.4 The Instructor and the Learning Process 11

3.5 Some aspects of Learning in Coaching 12

3.6 The Psychology of Motivation 12

3.7 Coaching Young Archers 12

3.8 Efficient Learning 12

3.9 Some aspects of Motivation in Coaching 12

3.10 Group Management 14

4. Safety and Range Etiquette 15

4.1 Range Layout and Safety 15

4.2 Personal Safety 18

4.3 Equipment Safety 19

4.4 Range Etiquette 19

5. Member Protection 20
6. The Skill of the Archer 24

7. Selecting Equipment 25

8. Eye Dominance and Bow Hand 29

9. Demonstration and First Shots 31

10. Shooting Technique (The 10 Steps) 33

11. Step 1 - Stance 37

12. Step 2 - Nocking the Arrow 39

13. Step 3 - Drawing Hand 40

14. Step 4 - Bow Hand, Bow arm and Predraw 42

15. Step 5 - Drawing the Bow 45

16. Step 6 Full Draw, Anchor and String Alignment 46

17. Step 7 Holding and Aiming 53

18. Step 8 Releasing 55

19. Step 9 Follow Through 58

20. Step 10 Relaxing and Recovery 59

21. Archers Attitude 60

22. Instructing Archers with a Disability 61

23. Stringing a Recurve Bow 66

24. Removing Arrows 69

25. Bow Sights 70

26. Target Faces and Scoring 72

27. Introduction to Archery Equipment 74

28. Equipment Set Up and Maintenance 82

29. Planning a Beginners Course 107

30. Example Course and Lesson Plan 108

31. Exercises 112

32. Making Your Own Equipment 116

33. Archery Language 119

Appendix 1 Sample Scorecard

127
 Section 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 What is Archery Australia Inc?

Archery Australia Inc is the national governing body for Archery in Australia, catering for all
archery disciplines and equipment styles. Archery Australia Inc offers various coaching and
development programs, which are generally delivered by Regional Governing Bodies and clubs.

These programs provide a pathway for archers to develop their skills and knowledge and advance
through the sport from basic beginner, through club, state and national levels, and advancing
ultimately to high performance international level, competing in events at the World
Championships and Olympic Games.

At the same time Archery Australia Inc also offers a pathway for instructors and coaches, starting
with Archery Instructor, Club Coach, Regional Coach and ultimately to High Performance Coach.

1.2 About this Manual?

This manual is intended as a reference guide for instructors of Come N Try and Advanced
Come N Try instruction courses and fits within the framework of the Archery Australia Inc
National Coaching Program.

It is to be used as the test book for Archery Instructor courses.

1.3 What is Archery Come N Try?

This is the first of the Archery Australia programs and is divided into two distinct programs

Come N Try and Advanced Come N Try

1.4 Come N Try

It has been identified that Archery Australia requires a basic entry-level program where the
general public can try archery at a low cost with a low level of commitment.

Historically, the long-established Archery Australia coaching program involves people committing
to a minimum of 10 to 12 hours over a number of weeks in a formal, structured course. This
program does not currently suit many people who simply want to try archery on an impulse
without any long-term commitment. The Come N Try program is intended to provide basic
archery instruction in a safe, social and fun environment.

The Come N Try program is also structured for non Archery Australia organisations or groups,
which provide social activities to the general public such as schools, recreation camps, resorts, or
any organisation that provides archery instruction.

Many clubs see the advantage of starting people with a basic Come N Try course and if the
student is interested in continuing, then moving onto the next level which is the Advanced Come
N Try.

Come N Try sessions should be a minimum of one hour and a maximum of three hours.

Each Come N Try session should include

Safety

Basic shooting technique

 Introduction to equipment

Scoring and social activities

1.5 Advanced Come N Try program

The next step to the basic Come N Try is the Advanced Come N Try program.

The Advanced Come N Try constitutes a number of sessions. The program should not go any
longer than 6 sessions, most clubs prefer only 3 to 4 sessions.

The Advanced Come N Try program is intended for use by Archery Australia clubs and not
other organisations or groups which provide basic archery activities to the general public such as
schools, recreation camps, resorts or any organisation that provides one off archery instruction.

Advanced Come N Try sessions should include

1) Safety
2) Developing basic shooting technique
3) Refinement of basic shooting technique
4) Introduction to archery and club activities
5) Equipment use and set up
6) Scoring and archery rounds

Each Advanced Come N Try session should be a minimum of one hour and a maximum of
three hours.

1.6. What is an Archery Instructor Course?

The Archery Instructor Course is the first of the four coach/instructor levels provided by Archery
Australia Inc. To cater for people both within archery and outside of archery there are 2 elements
of the Archery Instructor program -

Community Archery Instructor - provides training and accreditation to non-members of

Archery Australia Inc who carry out basic archery instruction recreational camps, resorts. These
courses comprise three components

1) Sports General component, conducted by the respective Department of Sport and

Recreation in each state, or equivalent qualification.
2) Sport Specific component, conducted by the RGB or accredited coaches.
3) Written and Practical assessments.

Archery Instructor is an accredited course provided to registered members of Archery Australia,

providing instructors with the skills and knowledge to conduct basic archery courses. The course
comprises three components -

1) Sports General component, which is part of the Sport Specific course.

2) Sport Specific component, conducted by the RGB or accredited coaches.
3) Written and Practical assessments.

RGBs act as agents for Archery Australia and usually conduct Archery Instructor courses although
clubs which have suitably qualified coaches may also conduct these courses. Archery Australia
Inc may from time to time also conduct such courses to meet industry demands. Each course
must be registered with Archery Australia Inc not less than 21 days prior to the course.

1.7 Accreditation

Each person undertaking an Archery Instructor course will be assessed on a written examination
conducted as part of the course and on practical assessment carried out outside of the course.
Upon successfully completing all the required components of the course, the instructor will be
registered with Archery Australia Inc as an accredited Archery Instructor.

1.8 Course Duration

The sport specific Archery Instructor course will be conducted over a minimum of 12 hours, ideally
conducted over two consecutive days.